War Through Their Eyes

Grace Lim's Opening Remarks

War: Through Their Eyes, May 15
Exhibit Event Grace Lim’s Opening Remarks

Opening remarks are tough. Opening remarks are tough because people sitting in the audience just want the person standing in front of them to stop talking, go away and let the show begin. But the person standing in front of them won't because she has the mic and the lectern.

And when you have the mic and the lectern, you pretty much rule the world.

My name is Grace Lim. I am the teacher/editor for the War: Though Their Eyes student journalism project, and I am here to tell you a story.

Not just any story, but the story behind the story.

Every good story has action, adventure, the occasional mishap, and, of course, the heroes swooping in at the last minute to right the world once again.

This tale is no different.

Now the stars of the main story, of course, are the 16 soldiers and Marines, the 14 journalism students and the one photography student.

We'll get to them soon enough, but right now I want to focus on the stars of the story behind the story.

It's one thing to have a good story to tell, it's another thing to tell it in a good way.

Shawn McAfee of the University's Media Services designed this beautiful book, which is on sale today here for the special, low price of $12.50 and online for $14.95 plus shipping and handling at University Books & More...whew...you try saying that on one breath...

Shawn McAfee could have shut this project down from the get-go, but she didn't. I found similar support from other folks from the Media Services -- Sean Ruppert, Brian Ledwell, Wayne Abler and student Ranah Voss. Ranah designed a beautiful Web site for this project. She is graduating tomorrow, which means that she will be available to work for money starting Monday

My husband, John Beam, who is a math professor here at UW Oshkosh, is also deserving of special recognition. He composed an original song to accompany the podcasts and the video. But more importantly he was my perfect sounding board. Many times, I'd wake up at 3 in the morning and ask things like, "Hey, you know what I think about this War project?" The perfect sounding board responded in the perfect 3 in the morning way -- with his attentive silence.

Thanks, honey, that really helped.

John and the others are people whose great talents allowed the main story to be told in great way.

Now that I had this team of talented people on hand, I needed the right day and right place to tell this story.

At the beginning of this semester, I could be found roaming the campus, muttering, "I need a date. I need a date."

I'm sure students who overhead me thought, "That poor, pathetic woman. I sure hope I'm not like that when I'm old."

But one man heard my lament. Emmet Sandberg. Emmet is the coordinator of the Steinhilber Gallery. He first contacted me about exhibiting the students' work in September. As thrilled as I was with the offer, I said, “No, we really need to show at the end of this semester before the students leave.”

Emmet, one of the many unsung heroes of this story, came through with the perfect place - this gallery - and the perfect date - today.

Despite all the perfection that's around me, I still live in a world that demands more than just good intentions and great talent.

I needed money.

I needed money to put this project together. I needed money for books, food, gallery prints, food, posters, food. So once again, I'm walking around campus, muttering, "I need money. Do you have money to give me? I need money."

This time, students who overheard me, no longer thought, "That poor pathetic woman." They thought, "That really poor pathetic woman..."

Once again, wonderful people heard my lament.

Please take a moment to look at the person sitting to right of you, then to left of you. You may be looking at our first donor, whose generosity helped pay for the reception. This person does not want credit, but I think this person deserves some recognition. So thank you, grande supremo donor of the world.

Some people might think my wandering and muttering, "I need money. Do you have any money to give me," fundraising plan was unstructured, ill-conceived, and somewhat creepy.

Well, they might be right.

Somehow during one of my rambling "I need money. Do you have any money to give me" forays, I found myself in the office of John Koker, dean of the College of Letters and Science. Thankfully, Dean Koker did not call security. Instead he gave his support.

Same thing happened in Journalism Department Chairman Mike Cowling's office and Joe Blohm's office. Joe Blomn is the director of University Books & More, which is selling this beautiful book today for the special low price of $12.50 and $14.95 online plus shipping and handling...

Chancellor Wells. Now Chancellor Wells was NOT ONLY supportive, he was also fiscally prudent. He pre-ordered 70 books, which, by the way, is on sale today...Chancellor Wells pointed out that since he was ordering in bulk shouldn't he get a discounted rate?

Well...when you are the chancellor, you don't even need a mic or a lectern...

Then we all have to thank Vice Chancellor Roter and Randy Hedge, the director of Reeve Union, who helped secure money from the Pepsi Major Events Fund.

(Take a sip of from the Pepsi cup and place prominently on the lectern.)

Their effort is the reason we were able to avoid the half-a-meatball-per-person reception.

I think they were swayed by my telling them that two of my students gave up their meatball allotment for this event. I can see the proud parents out there, thinking, "That's my kid."

Now I'm no mathematician, but I have 14 students and only two gave up their meatballs...that means that 12 of them have decided, "I'm keeping my half meatball, and I don't care what grade I get."

I don't know but this might be one of those teachable moments where you sit down and have that talk about the haves and have-nots.

Then, with the help of Shawn McAfee, I wandered into the office of Ed Garcia of Oshkosh Defense. I have to tell you the truth, prior to this project, my knowledge of the parent company Oshkosh Corporation was limited to the fact that they make big trucks and other big things. But I learned from one of our Marines Matthew Young, who was among the first wave of soldiers sent to Iraq that Oshkosh Corp. folks don't just make big trucks. They make good big trucks. Matthew said while he was Iraq no one from his squad got injured in a Oshkosh truck.

So a big thanks to Ed Garcia and Oshkosh Defense for their financial support of this project and much much more.

As you can see, the story behind the story is filled with a cast of characters whose roles provided the foundation on which this project sits. Finally, we get to you, the family and friends of the true stars of this event. You all should be incredibly proud of the students and alumni who shared their stories so openly. You should be proud of the student-reporters and photographer who've captured those stories so beautifully.

I see community leaders who've come to support this student project

Thank you for being here.

I ask you for one more thing and then I promise I will give up the mic and the lectern. At the end of the video, I ask that you indulge me for a few more moments while I ask my students, our project photographer Amber Patrick and the soldiers and Marines to join me up here.

Thank you for your patience. Enjoy this video.